Key Concepts in Carl Rogers' Humanistic Theory

Conditions of worth

Standards or conditions a person believes they must meet to gain acceptance or love from others.

Ideographic

Approach in psychology focusing on understanding the individual, emphasizing unique personal experiences, traits, and life histories.

Nomothetic

Contrasting approach to the ideographic, focusing on general laws and principles that apply across individuals through large-scale research and statistical analysis.

Congruence and incongruence

Terms from Rogers' theory; congruence is alignment between self-concept and experiences, incongruence is a mismatch leading to psychological distress.

Empirical research

Research based on observation, experimentation, or measurement, involving data collection and evidence to support conclusions.